NHL roundup: Lehkonen's late goal lifts Avalanche over Rangers in New York

On Sunday, the National Hockey League (NHL) featured five matches, culminating in a total of 31 goals. The most thrilling encounter took place in New York, where the Rangers faced off against the Avalanche, resulting in a dramatic nine-goal showdown. Here is a recap of each game.

New York Rangers 4-5 Colorado Avalanche

The highlight of the day unfolded in New York, as the visiting Colorado Avalanche clinched a last-minute victory over the New York Rangers with a score of 5-4.

The opening period was marked by a flurry of activity, with four goals scored within the first ten minutes. Jack Drury initiated the scoring for the Avalanche, quickly followed by a second goal from Cale Makar just moments later.

Despite falling behind early, the Rangers responded vigorously, with Sam Carrick and Vincent Trocheck netting goals just 86 seconds apart to level the score. However, Makar struck again later in the first period, converting on a power play to restore Colorado's lead.

The Avalanche extended their advantage in the latter part of the second period when Juuso Parssinen scored, giving them a two-goal cushion. Yet, New York remained resilient, as Will Borgen narrowed the gap with a goal less than two minutes before the intermission. Artemi Panarin then equalized with five minutes remaining in the game.

As the clock wound down, the Avalanche managed to secure the winning goal. Artturi Lehkonen found the net just nine seconds after Colorado successfully defended against a power play. This victory propelled the Avalanche to sixth place in the Western Conference, breaking a three-game losing streak. Meanwhile, the Rangers find themselves three points and three positions away from the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Ottawa Senators 3-1 Utah

The match with the fewest goals of the day occurred in the Canadian capital, where the Ottawa Senators emerged victorious against the Utah Hockey Club with a score of 3-1. Following a scoreless first period, Ridly Gregig opened the scoring 12:16 into the second period with a short-handed goal, giving the home team the lead.

Less than two minutes later, the game was tied as Clayton Keller equalized for Utah; however, Claude Giroux quickly restored Ottawa's lead 7:33 into the final period. Brady Tkachuk extended the advantage with a third goal at 6:48 remaining. Despite outshooting the Senators 46-38, Utah left the game without any points.

This victory propelled the Senators into playoff contention in the Eastern Conference, albeit with only a one-point lead over the Lightning and Blue Jackets. Utah, on the other hand, faced back-to-back losses and now finds itself six points away from a playoff position.

In another matchup, the Winnipeg Jets secured a 5-2 victory against the Calgary Flames in an all-Canadian clash.

Kyle Connor opened the scoring just five and a half minutes into the game. The Jets dominated the first period, registering nearly three times as many shots as their opponents, which could have resulted in a larger lead by the end of the intermission.

Midway through the second period, Mason Appleton doubled the Jets' advantage. However, he was penalized for cross-checking shortly thereafter, allowing Calgary to capitalize on the power play as Mackenzie Weegar scored, giving the Flames a glimmer of hope. Just before the second period concluded, Gabriel Vilardi restored Winnipeg's two-goal cushion.

Vilardi then netted his second goal just three minutes into the final period, putting the Jets in a comfortable position. Although Nazem Kadri managed to score for the Flames, they could not narrow the gap further. Mark Scheifele capped off the scoring with a power-play goal, securing Winnipeg's third consecutive victory.

The Jets maintain their lead in the Western Conference with 71 points, having scored a league-high 180 goals this season. Meanwhile, Calgary's three-game winning streak was halted, but they still hold the final playoff spot in the conference.

The Minnesota Wild secured a 4-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks, marking Chicago's third consecutive defeat in Illinois. The Wild took control early in the game, with Jared Spurgeon scoring just 5:43 into the match. Frederick Gaudreau extended the lead to 2-0 a minute and a half later.

Joel Eriksson added a power play goal midway through the second period, seemingly sealing the game for Minnesota. Chicago struggled to find the net until a minute into the third period when Seth Jones scored, followed by Frank Nazar, who narrowed the gap further just two minutes later.

Despite their efforts, Chicago could not equalize, and Marcus Foligno sealed the win for Minnesota with an empty-net goal in the final two minutes. The Wild remain in fifth place in the Western Conference, while the Blackhawks sit second from the bottom.

In another matchup, the Las Vegas Golden Knights triumphed over the Florida Panthers with a score of 4-1, concluding the day's games. Brayden McNabb opened the scoring 5:26 into the contest, and Tanner Pearson doubled the lead early in the second period.

Despite the Panthers registering 56 shots, they only managed to score once, with Anton Lundell finding the net two minutes into the third period. However, they could not close the gap, as Jack Eichel restored a two-goal lead with 8:29 remaining, followed by Tomas Hartl's goal 29 seconds before the final buzzer.

With this victory, the Golden Knights move ahead of the Edmonton Oilers, achieving their second win in three games. The Panthers remain in fifth place in the Eastern Conference and will aim to rebound on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Kings.